Makedonia25
09-26-2006, 08:10 AM
Bakoyannis warns Skopje on name issue
Posted: September 25, 2006 at 15:52 PM EST (20:52 PM GMT)
Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis on Monday warned the Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), that Greece will not concede to
the country's euro-atlantic course if it does not accept a mutually agreed
solution to the land-locked republic's name, after a meeting with UNSG
Kofi Annan in New York.
"I had the chance yet again to underline to him (United Nations Secretary
General Kofi Annan) Greece's position and decision to proceed and
contribute to the finding of a mutually acceptable solution but that it is
impossible for Skopje to advance towards NATO and the European Union if
there is not such a solution," Bakoyannis told reporters after a meeting
here with Annan. Talks focused on the Cyprus issue, the FYROM name issue,
the future status of Kosovo and developments in the Middle East.
Bakoyannis said there "is optimism" regarding ongoing talks in Nicosia,
while on the FYROM name issue she noted that "there is no change" on
Skopje's position.
Greece objects to the use, by the former Yugoslav republic, of the name
'Macedonia' arguing that it conceals irredentist designs against its
northern province Macedonia.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 61st session of the UN
General Assembly during the Greek presidency of the Security Council.
"The UN Secretary General congratulated me on the Greek Security Council
Presidency while, at the same time, I had the chance yet again to discuss
the two issues which are of particular interest to Greece - the Cyprus
issue and the issue of Skopje - on how negotiations are developing on
these two fronts. There is no concrete news. There is optimism over talks
taking place in Cyprus that they will advance," Bakoyannis said.
Responding to a question whether there was a certain change forseen in
Skopje's stance after her talks with the UN secretary general and with her
FYROM counterpart last Friday, Bakoyannis said: "As for me I have not seen
any change. The (FYROM) minister was too new (at his post) to be able to
commit himself on anything. But I had the chance to explain closely the
Greek position."
Regarding her meeting earlier in the day with Lebanon's Foreign Minister
Fawzi Salloukh, Bakoyannis noted that they had the chance to overview
developments and "how UN Resolution 1701 was advancing" as well as
bilateral cooperation and Greece's development aid to the Middle East country.
Salloukh had said on his part that his country appreciated Greece's
position noting that "the Palestinian issue is the core of the Middle East problem.
Posted: September 25, 2006 at 15:52 PM EST (20:52 PM GMT)
Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis on Monday warned the Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), that Greece will not concede to
the country's euro-atlantic course if it does not accept a mutually agreed
solution to the land-locked republic's name, after a meeting with UNSG
Kofi Annan in New York.
"I had the chance yet again to underline to him (United Nations Secretary
General Kofi Annan) Greece's position and decision to proceed and
contribute to the finding of a mutually acceptable solution but that it is
impossible for Skopje to advance towards NATO and the European Union if
there is not such a solution," Bakoyannis told reporters after a meeting
here with Annan. Talks focused on the Cyprus issue, the FYROM name issue,
the future status of Kosovo and developments in the Middle East.
Bakoyannis said there "is optimism" regarding ongoing talks in Nicosia,
while on the FYROM name issue she noted that "there is no change" on
Skopje's position.
Greece objects to the use, by the former Yugoslav republic, of the name
'Macedonia' arguing that it conceals irredentist designs against its
northern province Macedonia.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 61st session of the UN
General Assembly during the Greek presidency of the Security Council.
"The UN Secretary General congratulated me on the Greek Security Council
Presidency while, at the same time, I had the chance yet again to discuss
the two issues which are of particular interest to Greece - the Cyprus
issue and the issue of Skopje - on how negotiations are developing on
these two fronts. There is no concrete news. There is optimism over talks
taking place in Cyprus that they will advance," Bakoyannis said.
Responding to a question whether there was a certain change forseen in
Skopje's stance after her talks with the UN secretary general and with her
FYROM counterpart last Friday, Bakoyannis said: "As for me I have not seen
any change. The (FYROM) minister was too new (at his post) to be able to
commit himself on anything. But I had the chance to explain closely the
Greek position."
Regarding her meeting earlier in the day with Lebanon's Foreign Minister
Fawzi Salloukh, Bakoyannis noted that they had the chance to overview
developments and "how UN Resolution 1701 was advancing" as well as
bilateral cooperation and Greece's development aid to the Middle East country.
Salloukh had said on his part that his country appreciated Greece's
position noting that "the Palestinian issue is the core of the Middle East problem.